Summary of City of Santa Monica Report on
Water Quality Relative to Public Health Goals
Each year the City of Santa Monica publishes its Annual Water Quality Report which includes details about the water that Santa Monica residents and businesses use every day. Along with information regarding important current water issues, the annual report includes information required by the Federal and State governments to illustrate how the quality of the water at the consumer’s tap compares against established water quality standards. These water quality standards are established by Federal and State regulations as MCLs (Maximum Contaminant Levels). Consistently, Santa Monica’s water is shown to be in full compliance with all regulatory water quality standards.
Every three years, all water agencies in California are required to prepare a Public Health Goal (PHG) report. A PHG is the concentration of a contaminant in drinking water that poses no significant health risk if consumed for a lifetime. PHG standards are lower than Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), are strictly health based, and include a margin of safety. The purpose of this report is to provide consumers with information on levels of contaminants even below the enforceable MCLs to inform them of whatever risks might be posed by the presence of these contaminants at levels below the MCLs. PHGs are not enforceable because the Best Available Technology to reach such low levels has not been defined and/or may not be available, and cost analyses are not reliable since estimates are speculative and theoretical.
Details about Public Health Goals, how they were developed, what they mean, and the current state of the City’s water quality are included in the 2025 City of Santa Monica Report on Water Quality Relative to Public Health Goals. The report will be received and filed at a public hearing by the Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Public comments can also be heard at this time. This report is available for public review at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall, the Main Library, the Water Resources Division office, and online at the Water Resources Division website at https://www.santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/your-guide-to-water.